A Day of Rest
by Josu
Summary: Hal's not feeling well and his father convinces him to take the day off.


Disclaimer: I do not own Falling Skies.

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"You feeling alright?" Tom Mason asked his oldest son as they walked towards the food line that morning, he had to walk a little slower to allow Hal to keep up with him.

Hal shrugged and then grimaced as that seemed to awaken numerous aches and pains in his body. "Just tired, I guess." Which was true, he was tired, he had felt fine yesterday but had awoken that morning with all over body aches and a sore throat.

Tom looked Hal up and down before frowning and shaking his head. "You should stay around the base today and get some rest."

"I'm needed on a mission today."

"A scouting mission?" Tom guessed easily. They had been stepping up those types of missions for the past several days, just to make sure the Skitters weren't getting any closer.

Hal shrugged. "Every mission is important."

Tom laid a hand on Hal's shoulder. "That's true." He smiled as he caught his son's tired eyes. "But, everyone needs a day off once in awhile." He raised a hand to stop Hal from interrupting, "Besides, I still need your help today."

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Hal and Matt waved goodbye to their father less than an hour after breakfast, much to Hal's annoyance. His father had taken his place on the scouting mission, so that he could "rest" and keep an eye on Matt for the day.

He looked down when his younger brother tapped him on the arm. "Do you think they'll find Ben, today?"

Hal sighed and then wiped a hand over his forehead. It was only mid morning but the day was already promising to be a hot one. "It's not that type of mission, Matt."

Seeing the younger boy frown slightly, he quickly added. "But, you never know."

He ruffled his brother's hair and Matt looked up at him with a smile. "Race you to the school." Matt hollered and took off.

Hal thought about it for a second and decided with the way his muscles were aching he would be lucky if he could walk back to the school; he had no energy and only wanted to sleep for the next several days.

He was glad that when he finally caught up to Matt at the school several minutes later he was playing soccer with a group of friends and seemed to completely forget about racing his older brother.

Hal slowly walked up the steps and into the school building, he walked down the hall and stopped outside of Captain Weaver's office.

"Captain Weaver?" He knocked and then entered when Weaver looked up and motioned him forward.

"What can I do for you, Hal?" Weaver silently took in the younger man's appearance as he waited for an answer.

"I just wondered what needed to be done today."

Weaver raised an eyebrow. "I thought your father took your spot on the mission so you could rest today."

Hal rolled his eyes and then rubbed at his forehead when that caused his head to ache even more. "I'm fine." He grumbled.

Weaver shook his head. "Aren't you supposed to be watching Matt?"

"Matt's fine, he's outside playing soccer with the other kids." Hal stared at Weaver for a moment before crossing his arms in annoyance. "My dad told you not to let me help today, didn't he?"

"He said you looked tired." Weaver said with a shrug and then pointed a finger at Hal. "And he was right. Have you been to see Dr. Glass?"

"I'm fine." Hal raised his hands in surrender as he slowly backed his way out of Weaver's office. "I'll go find something else to do."

Weaver eyed the young man before shaking his head and going back to the work on his desk.

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Hal stepped outside and grimaced when the sunshine blasted him in the face, causing his headache to raise another notch. He laid his head against the brick building and closed his eyes for a moment, his body ached mercifully and exhaustion was starting to take hold.

He jumped and his eyes shot open when Matt and several other children ran up the stairs and came to a noisy halt in front of him.

"Lourdes is going to take us for a nature walk." Matt looked at his older brother hopefully. "Do you want to come with us?"

Hal did his best to smile at his little brother's enthusiasm, before he shook his head. "Sorry kiddo." He laid a hand on Matt's shoulder. "Another time."

Matt stared at his older brother for a moment and then nodded. He took a few steps away and then turned back, "You know, if you're not feeling good, you should talk to Dr. Glass."

Hal's eyes widened, _was it that noticeable? _He forced himself to stand a little straighter. "I'm fine." He pointed to where Lourdes was waiting for the children to assemble. "You guys better hurry."

Matt waved goodbye to his brother and then took off down the steps with his friends. He smiled when he heard them talking about what kind of bugs they were hoping to find, and whether or not they would be able to scare Lourdes with them.

_Poor Lourdes._

Maybe if I walk down to the stream it will be a little cooler down there, he thought as he wiped the back of his hand over his forehead again. He chose the path that stretched along the outside of camp, it's not that he didn't like talking to the civilians; he was just too tired to talk to anyone at the moment.

He kneeled down beside the slowly flowing stream, they hadn't got much rain lately and the water was starting to get lower, but it still felt great as he put his hands in and let the cool water rush over them. He cupped his hands under the water and splashed his face several times; he sighed as the water did its job and helped to cool him off.

He lay down in the tall grass next to the stream and laid an arm over his face to keep the sun away. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths as his aching muscles finally started to relax_._

"I'll just close my eyes for a few moments," He said to himself, but within seconds he had drifted off to sleep.

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Anne walked into the clearing next to the stream and sighed with relief when she finally found Hal. She walked up to the sleeping form and took a seat next to him, gently reaching a hand out and laying it on his forehead.

"That's what I figured."

"Wha…." Hal woke up with a start and looked to where Anne was sitting to his left.

"I've been looking for you all morning, Hal." She pulled her hand back and helped him into a sitting position, eyeing him carefully when he groaned in obvious discomfort.

"All morning?" He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his tangled hair. "Matt!" He shouted. He tried to stand up but the doctor easily pushed him back down. "He's fine. I sent him to lunch with the other children before I came to find you."

"How'd you find me?" He ran a hand over his face and massaged his forehead. _He felt like crap_.

Anne laughed. "It wasn't easy." Seeing Hal's confused look, she continued. "Your father asked me to check on you this morning before he left, then I ran into Weaver and he also said I should check on you." She shrugged her shoulders. "I was busy most of the morning with other patients and you had disappeared by the time I had a break."

Hal smirked. "It's nice here. Quiet."

"Yeah, Matt said that you like to come here."

Hal laughed. "That explains how you found me."

Anne smiled. "He also told me that you weren't feeling well enough to go on the nature walk with them."

"I didn't say that." Hal got to his knees and then slowly pushed himself to his feet, groaning when that simple process took all of his energy and seemed to awaken all the aches in his body. "I'm just tired."

The young doctor easily pushed herself to her feet and gently grabbed onto Hal's arm. "Let me guess you're tired, your body aches all over and you're running a nice little temperature there."

Hal scowled, but nodded as he realized she had pretty much hit all of his symptoms. "How'd you know?"

She shook her head. "I've been treating the symptoms of the flu all morning."

She once again took in the appearance of Tom's oldest son, before placing her hand on his back. "Come on; let's get you back to the school."

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Hal took a deep breath and carefully opened his eyes to the darkened room that surrounded him. He groaned when he brought a hand up to rub at his eyes and the aches in his muscles made themselves known.

"Easy."

Hal jumped when a hand came to rest lightly on his shoulder. He turned tired eyes towards the figure sitting on the chair next to him, "Dad?" He croaked, and immediately tried to clear his throat, which turned into a coughing fit.

He felt a cup touch his lips as his dad helped raise him into a semi sitting position. "Drink some water, Hal."

The younger man sighed as the cool liquid slid down his sore throat, easing the ache and helping with the cough. "What are you doing back already?" He asked as he lay back down against the pillow.

Tom chuckled and placed the empty cup on the floor. "I've been back for several hours, Hal."

Hal's eyes widened. "It's that late?"

The older Mason nodded. "It's almost dinner time."

"Wow." He yawned. "I feel like I've barely slept."

"That's what happens when you're sick." Tom ran a hand over his son's forehead and through his hair. "You're temperature is still pretty high."

"Do I have to stay here? I would rather go back to my own area and sleep?" Hal asked as he tried to get comfortable on the cot he was laying on in the clinic.

"Yes, its better you stay here so Dr. Glass can keep an eye on you."

The cot creaked as Hal pushed the blanket further off himself, "It's hot."

"You just need to close your eyes and get some rest, Hal." Tom eyed his son warily as the young man started to fidget uncomfortably.

"I want too." Hal's voice came out in a whine. "It's just too hot."

Tom couldn't remember the last time his hard working, mature son had sounded so young. He eyed the pill bottle and the extra water Anne had placed on the nearby table for them before she went to get dinner. He patted Hal on the arm before standing up, "I think we've got something that can help with that."

He shook two pills into his hand and unscrewed the cap on the water bottle before turning back to Hal.

"Hey!" Tom stopped when he turned around and seen Hal pushing himself into a seated position on the cot, his feet on the floor and getting ready to try and stand up. "Where do you think you're going?"

"No time to be sick." Hal mumbled as he fought to keep his eyes open. "Too much work to do."

Tom shook his head as he took a seat on the cot next to his sick son. "Take these." He waited for Hal to put the pills into his mouth and then assisted him with the water bottle. "That should help with your temperature." He said and then placed the bottle of water on the floor.

Hal coughed slightly. "Tired." He mumbled. His head fell to the side where it found a gentle resting place on Tom's shoulder. "I miss mom." He whispered into the silence that filled the room around them.

Tom blinked several times and then laid his arm around the young man's shoulders and rubbed his hand up and down gently over the too warm skin. "I know."

The older man reached down to the floor where Hal had knocked one of his blankets and brought it up to wrap around his son's shoulders. "You need to lie down again, Hal."

"In a minute." Hal's hand reached out and grabbed gently onto his father's wrist. "I'm glad you're here."

Before Tom could respond Hal's breathing evened out into sleep. Tom carefully maneuvered Hal back onto the cot and fixed the blankets securely over him.

Tom bent down and placed a light kiss on his eldest's forehead. "I love you too, kid."


End file.
